Chaeles mestton



OQMINTON- Station-Indicator for Railroad Gars.

No. 229,050.- Patented June 22, 1880.

UNITED STATES PATENT OrrrcE.

CHARLES MIN'ION, OF GHATHAM VILLAGE, NEW YORK.

STATION-INDICATOR FOR RAILROAD-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 229,050, dated June 22, 1880.

Application filed November 15, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES MINTON, of Ohatham Village, in the county of Columbia and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Station- Indicators for Railroad-Oars; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a station-indicator for railroad-cars combining the properties of simplicity of structure, cheapness of cost, and accuracy of movement, which may be conveniently operated by the brakeman from the platform of the car, and which will present the name or number of the next station plainly to the passengers, and at the same time call their attention to it by the ringing of a bell. I

The stations are usually bawled out by the brakeman with such indistinctness as to cause annoyance and uncertainty rather than information and satisfaction. ing of the car-door causes unpleasant drafts in cold weather and admits smoke and cinders at all seasons.

The invention consists in the combination, with the indicating-apron, rollers on which the same is wound, and a coiled spring for operating the rollers, of a crank adapted both for winding and holding the rollers, and a spring-stop, which, when pressed upon, permits the crank to make a revolution forward, in obedience to the force of the spring, to bring the name of the next station into position, and which allows the crank to be turned back freely to wind up the device without special adjustment of parts to that end.

The invention consists, further, in the combination, with said crank and spring-stop, of actuating mechanism substantially such as hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a trans verse section of a railroad-car, showing the station-indicator in position. Fig. 2 is a front Moreover, the openview of the indicator. Fig. 8 is an end view, showing the actuating mechanism. Fig. 4 is a transverse section on line a on, Fig. 2.

The box or frame A incloses two rollers, B and 0, two smooth guide-rods, D D, and a steel clock-spring, E. The shafts of the rollers have their hearings in the sides of the case, the upper roller being arranged near the top and the lower roller near the bottom of the box. One of the rollers is provided with a crank, and the other roller has the clockspring attached. Instead of the spring arranged as shown, the roller may have an internal spring similar to a shaderoller. An indicating-apron, F, is attached atits ends to the rollers and adapted to be wound from one to the other. This apron consists of a strip of cloth, leather, or other suitable material, having the names of the different stations arranged thereon in the order in which they occur along the route, and at such distances apart that each revolution of the rolls will present a name in the proper position at the face of the box. The apron passes over the guiderods D D, which serve to impart tension thereto and project each name into prominence as it appears.

The shaft of the lower roller,@,'projects at both ends through the sides of the box, and is connected at one end with a gong-bell, G, and at the other is provided with a crank, H. The crank has a tendency, from the force of the mainspring E operating directly upon the roller@, and, through the draft of the apron F, upon the roller@, to rotate in the direction of the arrow, but is held by a spring-stop, I, attached to the side of the case. This stop is pressed in to release the crank and operate the device, and it is so constructed and arranged as to afford no obstruction to the backward rotation of the crank. Hence the crank can be freely turned back for winding up the device without special adjustment of parts to that end.

0 is a pin which acts as a guard to the stop.

The actuating device consists of an arm, J, having one end attached to the case and the other end free and resting on the spring-stop I. This arm is held out by means of a spiral spring, K, placed between it and the case, and is provided with a guard. L, andabutton, M.

The free end of the arm J projects over about half the width of the stop only, and is provided with a lip, N. When pressure is imparted to the button by the finger or otherwise the upper-end of the arm acts upon the spring-stop and presses it in flush, or nearly so, with the side of the case. The crank-arm then moves over the edge of the stop and rests against the lip of the actuating-arm. When the finger is removed from the button the actuating-arm is pressed out by the spring K and the crank is released. The crank then flies around in obedience to the force of the mainspring. As soon as it has moved off the stop the latter springs out, and when the crank completes a revolution it is again caught and held by the stop. Each pressure of the button effects a revolution of the rolls, and each revolution of the rolls brings a new name into position.

The front lid, P, of the box is hinged at the top, and has the words The next station is on the inside. When the lid is swung openit stands upright on the case, and these words appear above the indicating-apron, which is then disclosed to view. The lid may be fastened open by a hasp or otherwise.

Two of theseindicators may be placed diagonally opposite each other, each in front of one of the end windows. These indicators will have the names of the stations arranged in reverse order, so that in whichever direction the car is traveling, the indicator which is at the front end of the car, facing the passengers, will wind out the names of the stations in succession in the order in which they are reached when traveling in that direction, while the indicator which happens to be at the rear end will be closed.

The operation. is as follows: The car being about to start from one end of its route, the lid of that indicator which is located in what will be the forward end of the car during the trip is turned up, exhibiting the words thereon The next station is, and opening to the view of the passengers the indicating-apron. The apron is then adjusted or wound so that the name of the first station at which the train is to stop will appear at the opening, the most of the apron being then wound upon the crank roller B. After the first station is passed the brakeman has simply to press the button with his thumb. On being so pressed and released the rolls make one revolution, and the name of the succeeding station is brought into view. The revolution of the upper roller actuates the striking mechanism of the bell simultaneously with the shifting of the apron and sounds the same, calling the attention of the passengers to the indicator and to the name of the next station.

When a train is to pass one or more stations without stopping, the brakeman will give the button two or more impulses in quick succession, as the case may require.

The indicator is open at the back, so that the operator can see through it and discover whether or not the name appears correctly.

When the car reaches the other end of its route the lid of the indicator in question is closed, and the opposite indicator is opened and operated in a similar manner during the return trip.

The apron of the indicator in use during a trip becomes wound off the crank-roller onto the spring-roller, and in order to be in position for use again, it is wound back by turning back the crank for that purpose.

The button or crank may be readily reached from the platform by an opening in the window for that purpose.

Instead of having two indicators for each car, as above set forth, one indicator may be used for both trips, being provided with means whereby its operation may be reversed. In order to accomplish this the clock-spring, instead of being attached to one of the rollers direct, is attached to a short independent shaft, which may be conveniently placed in a vertical position at the top of the box. This shaft is provided with a large gear-wheel, which meshes with a small pinion on another shaft at right angles to the shafts of the rollers. This second short shaft has a miter-wheel, which meshes on either side with either one of a pair of miter-wheels attached to the shaft of one of the rollers. The roller-shaft is adapted to slide in its bearings, so as to bring either of its miter-wheels in gear with the miterwheel driven by the spring and its train, and by sliding said roller-shaft by means of a lever attached thereto the device may be adjusted to operate in either direction. In such case means will be provided whereby the force of the spring may be transferred from one roller to the other; or the farther roller, not directly connected with the mainspring, may be provided with a weaker spring, whereby the slack apron unwound from the mainspring roller will be taken up by the weaker spring-roller.

In order to facilitate the actuation of the device from the outside, there may be provided a bent pivoted arm or trigger, one end of which rests on the button M and the other extends to the outside of the car. The outer end will be provided with a button, and the bent pivoted arm so arranged that pressure on said outer button will cause the inner end of the arm to operate upon the button M and actuate the device.

What is claimed as the invention is- 1. The combination, with the indicatingapron, rollers for winding it, and a spring for operating the rollers, of a crank adapted both for winding and holding the rollers, and a spring-stop, which allows the crank to make a single revolution or fraction thereof to shift the apron, and leaves the crank free to be turned back at will to wind up the device, In testimony that I claim the foregoing I 10 substantially as described. have hereunto set my hand and seal this 6th 2. The combination, with the indicatingday of November, 1879. apron, rollers for Winding it, and a spring for l 5 operating the rollers, of a crank, a spring-stop CHARLES MINTON. [L. s.]

for holding the crank, and an actuating-arm which catches the crank after its release by Witnesses: the stop and holds the same during the press- H. W. MGGLELLAN, are upon the arm, substantially as described. '1. B. STREVEL. 

